Former Ian Skelly Site & New Park | Mill Lane

[Chris B]

UPDATED - DECEMBER 2012

Former Ian Skelly Site & New Park

The Hospital

Background Information

This thread is for two developments, one either side of Mill Lane, L13. The first was to be an extension to the existing Rathbone Hospital, which specialises in mental health care. The extension was to be built on a semi-derelict site which wraps around from Mill Lane to Rathbone Road via Edge Lane. The site currently hosts a Blockbuster Video and Subway store. In addition, a derelict Carpet World retail unit, and the former Ian Skelly car showroom, which has been derelict for around 15 years, occupy the site. As this site has a frontage to Edge Lane, the main route by road into the city from the M62, the derelict state of this site has long been a bone of contention for many in the city. The hospital extension development would have seen this site cleared, and replaced with modern mental health facilities, as well as landscaping to the surrounding roads. As reported in the article in Post #2, in December 2012, the plans fell through due to the parties being unable to agree terms to transfer the site from its current owner Derwent Holdings, to the operators of Rathbone Hospital, Merseycare. The future development of the site is now uncertain.

The following details relating to the now cancelled mental health facility are left here for future reference/interest -

The Plans

From the Planning Explorer -

Application Number - 10F/0947
Site Address - Former Skellys site/Carpetworld, land bounded by Edge Lane, Edge Lane Drive, Mill Lane, Binns Road, Borax Street, Liverpool 13
Proposal - To erect buildings for mental health care service provision (within Use Classes C2 and D1) (outline application)
Applicant - Derwent Holdings Ltd

Proposed Site Plans and Renders

Originally posted by woody.





Council Approval

From the Daily Post -

Plans for mental health centre in Liverpool’s Edge Lane approved

COUNCILLORS approved plans for a mental health care centre on a derelict car showroom in Liverpool’s Edge Lane.

The facility, which will be on the former Ian Skelly site, will have 85 in-patient beds.

It forms part of an overall masterplan which will see another inpatient unit created on the former Walton General Hospital site.

The total cost is estimated at around £52m.

Article continues here - http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/...2534-28839696/

Government Approval

From the Echo -

£48m plan to build two mental health hospitals in Liverpool gets Government go-ahead

TWO new Liverpool mental health hospitals worth £48m were given the go-ahead by Government.

The centres – on Edge Lane and on the old Walton Hospital site – were set to open in 2013.

They will be run by mental health trust Mersey Care.

The body has been campaigning since 2003 to build the units, set to provide short-term inpatient care.

Article continues here - http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liver...0252-29700462/

The Park

Background Information

The second development is a new park to replace the existing Rathbone Park on Rathbone Road, which will be re-developed as part of the extended Edge Lane Retail Park. This new park will be located on the former site of the Robinson Willey factory, which is now demolished, but had lain derelict for over 20 years. The park will be in a Victorian style, and will also feature residential housing around its perimeter.

The Plans

From the Planning Explorer -

Application Number - 10F/2236
Site Address - Former Robinson Willey Site, Mill Lane, Liverpool, L13
Proposal - A Hybrid Planning Application: 1. Full application to lay out a public park with associated access, landscaping, and parking; 2. Outline application to erect 26 no. dwellings
Applicant - Derwent Holdings

Proposed Site Plan


Copyright to the copyright holder. Shown here for informational purposes only.

Proposed Elevations


Copyright to the copyright holder. Shown here for informational purposes only.

[Chris B]

From the Echo -

Plans to build mental health centre in Liverpool’s Edge Lane shelved

A MULTI-MILLION pound plan to build a mental health centre on a main route into Liverpool was scrapped after attempts to buy land needed for the project failed.

The ECHO understands Isle of Man-based Derwent Holdings refused to sell the eyesore former Ian Skelly garage site in Edge Lane to Merseycare.

After many months of wrangling, the NHS trust decided to look elsewhere and is now in the process of buying the former police training centre in Prescot Road, Old Swan, which it will knock down to make way for its new mental health facility.

The breakdown in negotiations with Derwent Holdings will put the project back around nine months.

Sources at Merseycare said they were “bitterly disappointed” but the new site had some advantages which meant the project should not cost any more than originally predicted.

Article continues here - http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liver...0252-32378707/

Disappointing news, but at least it looks like the mental health facility will still go ahead elsewhere, even if a little behind schedule. As for the former Skelly's site, with the relationship between Derwent and the council being about as good as it's ever been, could someone at the council please ask Derwent to flatten the Skelly's site (and the former Carpet World too), rather than leave them to deteriorate even further while they figure out what to do with the site? A vacant site isn't great, but at least it'd look tidier than what is there now.

[shamus]

Dont hold your breath...Skellys has been derelict for 20 years. Derwent have no track record for delivering any development in this city. Remember when they took legal action to stop the council putting boards up round some of the derelict sites they own. They have knocked back the mental health clinic but don't appear to have any alternative plans for the site. Even in the boom retail years they invested nothing in the area ...am I the only one who avoids edge lane if I am bringing a visiter into the city it is a disgrace and would not be tolerated by any other city with serious ambitions. Time for Uncle Joe to get tough and look toward CPOs.

[b4mmy]

Edge Lane has been improved quite a bit in the last 12 months, and still more since this was published

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liver...0252-30935629/

[GLCBanana]

Originally Posted by b4mmy

Edge Lane has been improved quite a bit in the last 12 months, and still more since this was published

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liver...0252-30935629/

That stretch of Edge Lane was completed thanks to the city council, NO thanks to Derwent!